Why do some guns jam on the last round in the magazine?

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Farmer17

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Just got a new Ruger LCP II .380 and I've had about 3 jams(failure to feed) in the first 60 rounds and it was always the last round in the magazine. I plan on lubing it well and shooting a few more boxes of different ammo through it and if the problem persists, I guess I'll call Ruger. When a new gun design comes out I normally like to wait about a year to buy one so the manufacturer has time to work all the bugs out. I know Ruger is especially bad about this with their semi-autos but I wanted the little gun pretty bad so I paid a premium price for it, $285 when you can get a Gen 2 LCP for only $199. Since it's the last round in the mag jamming, is that because the magazine spring is too weak? The magazine is very easy to load even on the last round.
 
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Farmer17 said:
Just got a new Ruger LCP II .380 and I've had about 3 jams(failure to feed) in the first 60 rounds and it was always the last round in the magazine. I plan on lubing it well and shooting a few more boxes of different ammo through it and if the problem persists, I guess I'll call Ruger. When a new gun design comes out I normally like to wait about a year to buy one so the manufacturer has time to work all the bugs out. I know Ruger is especially bad about this with their semi-autos but I wanted the little gun pretty bad so I paid a premium price for it, $285 when you can get a Gen 2 LCP for only $199. Since it's the last round in the mag jamming, is that because the magazine spring is too weak? The magazine is very easy to load even on the last round.
Click to expand...

I would change out a magazine for a new one and see if that helps. My guess is that the springs are getting weaker??
 
1. Consider stripping the magazine, clean and lightly lube the inside body, and stretching the spring.
2. Make sure the high end of the spring is in the front of the magazine body at the front of the follower.
3. polish the feed ramp
 
Describe the jam. The type of malfunction provides a clue to the solution. I assume a failure to feed. Is the round not stripping off the magazine? Hanging up on the feed ramp? Catching on the top of the chamber? Do the jams occur with both magazines? Oops, I think the LCP II comes with only one magazine? Magazine springs in a new pistol should not need replacing or stretching and should not be weakened in only 60 rounds. I personally don't recommend any lubrication inside a magazine body as this tends to attract and accumulate crud that will interfere with functioning.

Ruger may send you a new magazine spring, but it would be helpful to know more about the type of jam.
 
Mag issue

Failure to advance, failure to feed, failure to chamber, failure to fire, failure to extract, failure to eject.

The stoppage you describe most certainly sounds like a magazine spring issue as that last round is not being presented in a proper feeding position. A round that hangs up either on the magazine itself or the bottom of the feed ramp is sometimes called a nosedive jam.

Easiest solution is to contact Woolf Springs and use theirs, if available.
 
Failure to feed on the last round sounds like a magazine or magazine spring issue to me. That's where I'd start my troubleshooting efforts, either with a new magazine or new magazine spring.
 
Usually a weak magazine spring issue, if the last round is over-ridden by the slide and is not pushed into the chamber. The round is not pushed up quickly enough, and the slide returns to battery before the round can be presented for feeding.

John
 
What ammo were you shooting? My knowledge makes me believe that the last round is always presented a little slower than the rest. If the ammo is a bit feeble, then the slide is not going all the way back, so the last round has not come high enough before the slide comes forward.
 
PALADIN85020 said:
Usually a weak magazine spring issue, if the last round is over-ridden by the slide and is not pushed into the chamber. The round is not pushed up quickly enough, and the slide returns to battery before the round can be presented for feeding.

John
Click to expand...


99.9% of the time this is the reason. A weak mag spring.

If the gun is brand new forget all the other stuff and call Ruger. They will pick it up determine the cause and send it back before you even miss it!

Their CS is as good or better than SW.

That said if you are shooting basic (non SD ammo) the recoil spring may be so tight still it doesn't cycle the slide all the way back,

Empty the gun and leave the slide locked back overnight for a day two and then try some good SD ammo like Gold Dots.

FYI Wolff springs is the OEM maker of springs for most handguns much like Mec Gar makes mags. All these gun makers do not have their own little spring factory.
 
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Inusuit said:
I personally don't recommend any lubrication inside a magazine body as this tends to attract and accumulate crud that will interfere with functioning.
Click to expand...

You can get the best of both worlds by using a dry lubricant, such as powdered DMSO.
 
Rule3 said:
99.9% of the time this is the reason. A weak mag spring.

If the gun is brand new forget all the other stuff and call Ruger. They will pick it up determine the cause and send it back before you even miss it!

Their CS is as good or better than SW.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. In my experience Ruger has the best customer service of any company, anywhere. They took back my 40-year old Standard, replaced the the extractor mechanism and the ejector, and had it back to me in a week, no charge. They even paid for shipping.
 
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Rule3 said:
99.9% of the time this is the reason. A weak mag spring.
Click to expand...

As I understand it the gun actually recoils out from under the last round. Some 1911 mags have a "speed bump" stamped into the follower.

The latest 4506 followers have a little raised line molded into the plastic.

My new out of the box Ruger P90 had feeding problems. They replaced the extractor and "repaired" 4 magazines. Never said what the "repair" was but they did the work for free, paid the freight both ways & had it back to me in two weeks or so.

Everybody turns out a clunker now & then. Ruger handled this one in A+ fashion.
 
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Quote"What ammo were you shooting? My knowledge makes me believe that the last round is always presented a little slower than the rest."

Shooting 95 grain Fiochii hardball ammo.

Quote:"Describe the jam. The type of malfunction provides a clue to the solution."

The last round would jam into the top of the barrel/chamber at about a 45 degree angle.
 
the standard answer to any failure to eject is "limp wristing" that my story and I am sticking to it.

I know, if I can"t add something helpful just be quite. I couldn't help my self, I am a lonely, lonely man.
 
Farmer17 said:
Quote"What ammo were you shooting? My knowledge makes me believe that the last round is always presented a little slower than the rest."

Shooting 95 grain Fiochii hardball ammo.

Quote:"Describe the jam. The type of malfunction provides a clue to the solution."

The last round would jam into the top of the barrel/chamber at about a 45 degree angle.
Click to expand...

Fiocchi usually has plenty of zip, so I reckon the slide is cycling fully.

The type of jam is interesting. Makes me wonder if the magazine lips are releasing the last round a tad early.
 
I have a new one and it works fine. I would call Ruger and I think they will replace the magazine.

You should not have to fiddle around and pay more money to diagnose a bad malfunctioning gun and magazine that is brand new.
 
Check the bolt face too. The rear of the round has to slide up behind the extractor. If there's burr on the face of the bolt or the back of the extractor the type of jam you describe can happen, especially on the last round because there's less force pushing up.
 
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